Rotorcraft Asia 2017 will debut as the first dedicated civil helicopter event targeted at the Asia Pacific region. The show will present the latest trends and developments in the helicopter industry for the growing civil, medical, rescue and paramilitary aviation sectors in the region. Covering the entire rotorcraft supply chain, from airframes, components and parts, to avionics, safety systems, MROs and more, Rotorcraft Asia 2017 is designed to meet the needs of the thriving Asia Pacific region.

Today, civil helicopters are widely being used by government bodies for law-enforcement activities, disaster relief and emergency response services, in addition to catering to commercial segments such as oil and gas companies, VIP transportation providers and corporate offices, tourism and training.

According to Flightglobal Ascend, the growth of civil helicopter fleet between 2015 to 2025 will be led by the Asia Pacific region at a robust 54 percent, which puts it far ahead of the projected global fleet growth of 27 percent. Parapublic fleet across Asia Pacific grew to 6,145 helicopters in service at the end of 2015, an increase of 62 percent over 2005, displaying the tremendous growth potential.

Rotorcraft Asia 2017 will bring together the bellwethers of the civil helicopter industry worldwide, and offer a strategic platform where Asia’s top industry players and government representatives can connect, exchange insights as well as engage in high-level discussions. Additionally, at the event, organisations can launch new products, services and technologies, provide customer demonstrations to prospective buyers and increase brand awareness among key stakeholders in the Asia Pacific region.

One of the highpoints of Rotorcraft Asia 2017 is the strategic conference themed, “Innovation in Rotorcraft”, focussing on new technologies and solutions for rotary wing aircraft.The two-day conference will feature keynote and panel speakers who will share their views and insights on innovation as a catalyst, to develop solutions for current issues and challenges faced by manufacturers and operators of rotorcraft.

The show will welcome speakers from the industry who will be discussing topics such as Innovation in MRO, Mission Critical Services (MCS), Training & Simulation and Safety Management System (SMS).Keynotespeakers at the conference include seniorexecutivesfrom Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky, among other industry heavyweights.

Rotorcraft Asia 2017 exhibition will give visitors insights into the latest innovations, technologies, and developments in the rotorcraft industry. On display will be H160 by Airbus Helicopters and Bell 505 Jet Ranger X by Bell Helicopter. This is the first time the H160 will be featured in Southeast Asia at Rotorcraft Asia 2017.

Dedicated to helicopters and rotary wing aircraft, the Static Display Area will give visitors a first-hand, close-up look at the latest products, technologies and innovations that exhibitors have to offer.

The future of rotorcraft is moving towards unmanned systems. For example, there are optionally-piloted helicopters like the U.S. Marine Corps’ K-MAX cargo helicopter and Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ technology program that use advanced sensors and systems intelligence so that operators can confidently fly their rotorcraft safely and reliably in manned or unmanned configurations.

Going beyond the defence realm, the potential for exponential growth lies in the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for commercial applications across industries such as agriculture, energy, utilities, mining, construction, real estate, news media and film production. The CAGR for commercial drone revenue from 2015 to 2025 is forecast to grow at 41% in Asia Pacific, second only to the North America market growing at 45%, computed based on data from a Tractica report.

Against this dynamic landscape, co-located with Rotorcraft Asia 2017, will be the inaugural edition of Unmanned Systems Asia 2017, the premier unmanned systems event in Asia. The objective behind bringing together both exhibitions is to create a one-stop strategic platform for all those looking to tap opportunities in this fast growing industry.Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 will present the future of drones across a vast spectrum of commercial and defence applications, showcasing cutting edge technologies and solutions in aerial, ground, surface and underwater systems.

It will attract manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, buyers, academia, governments, research and regulatory bodies to unlock the vast opportunities of unmanned systems.

Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 will have a Live Demonstration Area which will feature real life simulations of obstacles and harsh conditions, thus providing a realistic and effective platform to showcase various unmanned system technologies to prospective buyers. There will also bethe Start-Up Showcase, which will gather the brilliant minds behind the latest unmanned technologies and solutions.

Another noteworthy attraction of both Rotorcraft Asia 2017 and Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 will be the VIP Buyers Programme,which will act as an effective forum for exhibitors to meet with rotorcraft and unmanned systems buyers. Through pre-arranged and facilitated meetings, exhibitors can use this dedicated face time to forge new partnerships as per their product interest so that their time at the exhibition will be fully maximised.

These buyers include senior representatives from the industry and from the Ministry of Public Security of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Indonesian National Police, Royal Malaysia Police, Travira Air, Derazona Air, Vietnam Helicopters, PhilJets, BP and Shell among others.

Organised by Experia Events, Rotorcraft Asia 2017 and Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 will be held from 18 to 20 April 2017 in Singapore at the Changi Exhibition Centre. The shows are supported by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, International Enterprise Singapore, the Ministry of Transport, the Singapore Economic Development Board and the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau.